The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1887-11-26

ASSSuC. Az tOIC AAOhi Viz UOesO"'
of his night gown a narrow strip of
red flannel. With infinite patience
he stuffed this through the fishing
pole until it protruded from either
end. Then he took two pieces Of
ice and rubbed them together, as
he had read of other Arctic travel
ers doing in his school books until
a spark was made. With this he
lighted one end of the pole. He
thrust the other into the blubber
and was delighted to see that he
had made a torch, full ten feet long,
which blazed above the ice like a
miniature lighthouse lamp.
at was to this happy invention
that the colonel owes his presence
here. The captain of whaling
vessel which was cruising about 400
miles south of him espied the light
and, thinking that new lighthouse
had recently been erected there,
sailed up and rescued him. Singu-
lar, wasn't it?"
"Yes, major" observed with all
the calmress / could command
for the tale had somewhat surprised
me. But how did the colonel lose
his arm?"
"Oh, yes" returned the major /;
II had almost forgotten that. You
see he had carried the pole for so
many days in his left hand that his
arm was frozen, and the day after
the rescue it dropped Off"
"Do you mean to say that your
arm was lost in an equally startling
way?" | asked.
"I'll leave that matter for you to
decide" replied the major, mod
estly, as he ordered the glasses re-
filed. 1t happened this way. When
l was young man, as you know,
| lived for many years in old Mex
leo, in the silver mining district.
One summer morning our party
were camped in charming valley
in the Sierra Madra mountains,
where We were prospecting. l had
risen earlier than my companions,
and started out for little walk up
the ravine, which, as / could see
after / h:,d gone a short distance
narrowed into passagcway at the
top of the peak, only wide enough
for one man to walk through at q
time. Unfortunately, ! had left my
weapons behind me, not suspectinl
the remotest danger.
IL found in a short time that the
top of the peak was much farther
than l had at first imagined, but
was interested in seeing the view
and so continued my walk. | was
thinking about the old home il
New Orleans and other far-away
topics when l found myself almos
at my journeys end. was abou
to step out OH the crest of the ledge
when | saw before me huge noun
tain lion, which completely blocked
my progress.
''It didn't take long for my
thoughts to return to the present
NV heart stood still and my blOOt
froze in my veins. / think the liol
was almost as startled as | was, bu
he didn't seem to show it as mucl
as did. 1t occurred to me in
stantly that man could make ;
wild beast quail by gazing sternl,
with his eyes. Immediately trie'
the experiment, but it failed t.
. work. The brute only licked hi
chops, lashed his body with his tai
and appeared moro ferocious ant
blood:thirsty than before.
81 then concluded to make des
perate break for liberty. Withou
giving any warning of my inten
t ton, / made one spring forward
= extending my arms with a viii,
E flourish, and uttering a blood-curd
2 ling yell. The beast opened hi
mouth in surprise. 1t is to tina
e surprise owe my life, and it is ais
e to that circumstance that lost m
, arm. Altogether by accident,
f assure you, / thrust my left arr
a into the creatures throat, up to tn
{ elbow. He at once closed his jaw
on the flesh. The pain was terrible
+. For moment l thought l shOul
0 faint, but | realized the folly
1 such a course and retained m
f reason.
> knowing that only the quicke!
I measures would save my life. | il
. stantly reached into the creature
I mouth, and grasped his tongu'
1 Then, giving my wounded arm
n quick jerk, l drew it out, keeping
a meanwhile, tight hold of its tongu
. A second later l had drawn it
!. far out of my antagonists mout
a as to protect my hand from hi
d teeth. During the struggle v
e reached the clear ground. With
roar of pain the animal starte
o backward. At the same moment
e braced myself for a mighty pull.
h ITO my intense surprise l o
= served that the tongue seemed
- lengthen in my grasp. This wi
:, not the only singular circumstan'
e that l noticed. The animals ia
l. shortened to the same extent tn
'. his tongue had heightened. An
.,. .>,,1l aNJo1 n f0Ot